a new year's resolution for 2013 & after

                                            Early 20th-century New Year's resolution postcards
                                                     
Now that 2013 has arrived and many of us are setting new goals and resolutions for the new year, it's a good time to recall what Barbara Hall shared with us at our last Vision session.  One of her suggestions was that we focus on our areas for potential rather than on our weaknesses.  After taking the DISC online assessment provided by Unlimited Potential and reading our personalized reports, we are equipped with a greater knowledge of our individual behaviors and the motivations that drive our actions.  We have, also, gained a better understanding of our own strengths and weaknesses, which with practice, can enable us to communicate more effectively with others and achieve deeper satisfaction both at work and in our personal lives.

In the book titled, "StrengthsFinder 2.0," which we read prior to our Vision session #2, Tom Rath informs his readers just how prevalent the sense of disengagement is in the workplace.  He writes, "Over the last decade, Gallup has surveyed more than 10 million people worldwide on the topic of employee engagement (or how positive and productive people are at work), and only one-third "strongly agree" with the statement:  'At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.'."  He goes on to say that their studies show that people are three times more likely to report having an excellent quality of life when people have the opportunity to concentrate on their strengths each day.  This latter statement urges us to take the time to know ourselves better so that we can put our strengths to use rather than neglecting them.  Focusing on our strengths, Rath says, will lead to a more fruitful, enjoyable life.  This is a new year's resolution we can't afford to lose interest in.